2008 Woodie Awards
Scintillating Scholz swims by competition, earns spot on 2008 U.S. Paralymics Team
Dave Lomonico
Issue date: 4/8/08 Section: Sports
|
Sports Editor
Rule No. 1 in the news-sports realm: Controversy sells. OK, well, maybe not No. 1, but it's up there, right alongside clipped quotes, negative headlines and slanted truth. Yes, we sportswriters are suckers for conflict, drooling like dogs in anticipation of the next big recruiting scandal or star-athlete mishap. The fans want dirt, and we deliver it, front and center, size 72 font, big picture in the center. However, once in a while we as sports fans have to admire the extraordinary, positive, feel-good story.
Phil Scholz's run at the 2008 Paralympics Team was one of those remarkable stories, and the entire Loyola community should rally around the freshman swimmer. Let's ignore the ebb and flow of the pop culture world for just a little while, step back, and appreciate what Scholz has accomplished.
"A year and a half ago when Philip approached me as a high school senior, I thought that the 2012 games in London might be a more realistic goal," his coach Brian Loeffler said. "To have him achieve this honor four years earlier is a testament to all the hard work he has put in."
Scholz, a blind swimmer, has already shown courage and determination, regardless of how he performs for the U.S. Paralympic Team. But who says we, and Scholz for that matter, can't get a little greedy? He's come this far; here's hoping he smashes the competition and closes out our feel-good story with a bang like he did last weekend in Minneapolis, Minn.
Scholz took home a gold medal in all four events he competed in at the U.S. Paralympic Trials, which determines who makes the 2008 squad.
Even more amazing? Scholz has never swum better in his life; in three of his four gold-medal events he set new personal bests, including the 100 free, the 100 fly and the 400 free.
"Philip did all he could to earn a spot on the team," Loeffler said. "He put all his efforts into his races and showed he was ready to compete at a high level."
It seems when disabled athletes compete, we as outsiders are content to pat them on the back, ignoring the results, good or bad. In a way, we hold them to a lower standard where winning and losing don't really matter as much as participation.
Be the first to comment on this story